Lawyers Dominate 2018's List of Most Notable Quotes

Rudy Giuliani, Brett Kavanaugh, James Comey and Rosemarie Aquilina each land on the list of 2018's most notable quotations, which is compiled annually by Yale Law librarian Fred Shapiro and distributed by The Associated Press.

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Attorneys uttered many of 2018’s most notable quotes, according to the annual list compiled by Yale Law librarian Fred Shapiro for The Associated Press that was released this week. Taking the top spot this year is Rudy Giuliani’s much-lampooned comment that, “Truth is not truth,” spoken while a guest on “Meet the Press” in August.

Next up is Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s infamous line about his soft spot for beer, delivered during a contentious and widely watched confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September.

Also making the list is a Tweet from former FBI Director James Comey lamenting a lack of respect for the truth in Washington. Michigan Judge Rosemarie Aquilina is also in the mix with her harsh words for former USA Gymnastics team doctor and convicted molester Larry Nassar delivered during his sentencing. And yes, President Donald Trump landed on the list too.

Law.com caught up with Shapiro on Wednesday to ask if lawyers were particularly noteworthy and pithy this year. Here’s what he said.

“It may be that, because of special characteristics of the Trump administration, legal struggles are more in the news than usual lately. In the early 1970s, the Watergate era, lawyers were both involved in the scandal itself and involved in the investigation and prosecution of the scandal. Our era today is the closest thing to Watergate in half a century. Other kinds of conflict, such as racial conflict and gender conflict, also seem to be at a peak level, and lawyers may be involved there as well.”

3. “While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.” — Sanofi drug company, in a tweet responding to Roseanne Barr’s blaming of its product Ambien in explaining a tweet that led ABC to cancel her show, May 30.

4. “We gather to mourn the passing of American greatness, the real thing, not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly, nor the opportunistic appropriation of those that live lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served.” — Meghan McCain, eulogy for John McCain, Sept. 1.

5. “We’re children. You guys, like, are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role. Work together, come over your politics and get something done.” — David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, in a CNN interview, Feb. 15.

6. ”[I am] not smart, but genius … and a very stable genius at that!” — President Donald Trump, in a tweet, Jan. 6.

7. “You don’t have to agree with Trump but the mob can’t make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone.” — Kanye West, in a tweet, April 25.

8. “Our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything.” — James Comey, in a tweet, May 23.

9. “I have just signed your death warrant.” — Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, addressing former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar upon sentencing him to up to 175 years in prison for sexual assault, Jan. 24.

10. “If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd! And you push back on them. And you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere.” — Rep. Maxine Waters, in remarks at a rally in Los Angeles, June 23.

Karen Sloan

Karen Sloan is the Legal Education Editor and Senior Writer at ALM. Contact her at ksloan@alm.com. On Twitter: @KarenSloanNLJ
Sign up for Ahead of the Curve—her weekly email update on trends and innovation in legal education—here: https://www.law.com/briefings/ahead-of-the-curve/

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